unable to grant permission for network access

I have two Win Xp computers on a network, using a Linksys router as a hub and ICS. The ICS works fine. Computer A (sharing its connection) can access Computer B. Computer B can see the other Computer A in the workgroup, can ping it and see it using net view, but cannot access it. I have tried it with simple sharing turned on and off. I have tried to change the "Access this computer from the network" in User Rights Assignment on Computer A, I can locate Computer B in the list of locations, but when I try to Apply it, it says "Failed to Save Local Policy Database"

Is there something else I should be changing? Why will it not save the local policy database?

do you have firewalls running on either one of the pcs? also, have you tried to connect to the computers by using the administrative shares (usually \\computername\driveletter$) to see if you can access it that way.

There's an internet firewall (Windows) on the ICS computer, but I've disconnected it from the internet, tkarn off the firewall, and still get the same results wrrt network.

I'm not sure how to use the administrative shares; where do I get to that?

I can use ping and net view and make contact with computer A from B using those options. Just can't double click the computer icon under workgroup computers and access anything. The error message says that Computer A is not accessible.

well, since you are doing more of a peer to peer type network, you are going to be more prone to issues such as this (I have seen it in the past with other networks set up peer to peer)... what type of connection do you have to the internet and if you are using broadband, why are you using ICS? To use the administrative shares, open up the run menu and type \\computername\drive$ (ie \\ComputerA\c$). It might prompt you for a User ID and password, if so, enter it in. Also, you might be having issues based on userids and permissions between the two pcs as to why those shares are not showing. This would explain why you are able to ping/etc but not access it via Network Neighborhood... Check the permissions on your shares and make sure the same IDs are set up on both PCs (same UIDs and PWDs) and see if that works for you.

The internet connection is dial-up. Its my only option. I don't have broadband. I realize that its an unusual setup. I'm useing a linksys router as a hub (have set the IP addresses). I am following the recommendation of linksys for this set-up: to use the router as a hub and use ICS for the internet.

When I check the permissions on the shares of Computer A, "NETWORK" is a group listed as having permission. But if I try to add any other users or groups, the other computer (B) is not available as a location, only the local computer is available.

When I use the administrative shares from B, it tells me "multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user are not allowed." So there's some connection there apparently, but when I use the icons in workgroup, it tells me access is denied.

This setup worked several weeks ago. I crashed the hard drive of Computer A and had to reinstall everything. So, I believe that there is some setting that I had worked out before that was changed when I had to reinstall everything. I've checked everything I can think of, however.

the permissions would have to be set up on the local pc as you do not have a domain to pull permissions from. As stated above, set up the same users/pwds on both pcs then make sure they are added to the appropriate permissions to grant access...

which version of XP do you have? I would take a look at what shares might be open by doing a "net use" from a command prompt....

At the moment, firewall is on ICS, not on LAN. I do not want to connect to the internet without it (just cleaned up a mess). However, I have disconnected the phone line from the computer, removed the firewall, rebooted the computers, and still no network.

if I enter the IP address with a share, it returns a password box. If I type in the name of the computer/username it returns the same password box. There is not a password on that account, and I don't know how to set one. I try the Administrator's password but get the same result.

On the server, if I go into Computer management, and look at shared folders, and then sessions, the user and computer name to whom I am trying to get access is listed (twice actually). There are no open files and it is marked yes as a Guest account.

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